UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Fashion’s Night Out Isn’t Just for Manhattan A-Listers

This year Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) took place in New York City on September 8th, and I was lucky enough to participate in some of the exciting things that went on that evening. Even though I wasn’t in the heart of the city where all of the A-listers might have been, I still caught a glimpse of the action in my hometown of Staten Island, N.Y., where I spent the night at the Staten Island Mall.

The mall was decorated with party streamers, balloons, and various other decorations you would find at your local Party City store. A DJ spun modern, upbeat tunes all night. He played a lot of Lady Gaga, and I guess you can’t get more fashionable than her. The mall was truly like a big party. Everyone was socializing, eating, and even dancing if a really good song came on. People are usually so busy in their everyday lives that they never have time to stop and have some fun, and I feel like this event was able to bring everyone together and relieve the stress of the day. People of all ages, from parents to children, and even a dog in one person’s case, joined the festivities.

The mall even set up stations where people could get complementary makeovers. I was one of the few who had a makeup specialist personally pick out a lip gloss that best complemented my complexion, and I loved it. I think I’ll use that lip gloss for the rest of my life because the coloring is just perfect. (It’s called “Underage” by MAC). The specialists helped others choose the right foundation, lipstick, and/or eye shadow for them, and one even demonstrated different ways to apply eye shadow, depending on the type of look you wanted. Whether promoting a smoky eye, or just an everyday look, she took the audience step by step through how it should be applied. “The key to make up is to make it look like you’re not wearing any” was the motto they used for the night.

Another highlight of the night was Bebe. The store held a raffle for a Bebe FNO t-shirt, which I unfortunately didn’t win, and also had free refreshments. People crowded around the free cookies, cheese and crackers, quiche, and other essential finger foods. Free is my favorite number, so for me, that was the best part of being at Bebe. There were also great sales that night, so if anyone needed a mini-dress, that was definitely the night to buy it.

All in all, the evening was a success. I was really glad to see that so many people came out for FNO because it truly showed that fashion is alive in everyone and nothing – not even the threat of thunderstorms – kept people away. The night was extravagant just like the flyers said, and it made me remember why I love the fashion industry. I would definitely recommend that future LIM College students not miss out on this event, and I hope I can relive the experience of this year’s FNO for years to come.